Marriage Counseling
Marriage Counseling
Marriage Counseling
By Mayo Clinic staff Marriage counseling can help couples in all types of intimate relationships heterosexual or homosexual, married or not. Some couples seek marriage counseling to strengthen their bonds and gain a better understanding of each other. Marriage counseling can also help couples who plan to get married. This pre marriage counseling can help couples achie!e a deeper understanding of each other and iron out differences before marriage. "n other cases, couples seek marriage counseling to impro!e a troubled relationship. #ou can use marriage counseling to address many specific issues, including$
Communication problems Sexual difficulties Conflicts about child rearing or blended families Substance abuse %inancial problems &nger "nfidelity 'i!orce
Marriage counseling may also be helpful in cases of domestic abuse. "f !iolence has escalated to the point that you(re afraid, howe!er, counseling isn(t ade)uate. Contact the police or a local shelter or crisis center for emergency support.
"f your partner refuses to attend marriage counseling sessions, you can go by yourself. "t(s more challenging to patch up a relationship when only one partner is willing to go to therapy, but you can still benefit by learning more about your reactions and beha!ior in the relationship. Marriage counseling is often short term. #ou may need only a few sessions to help you weather a crisis or you may need marriage counseling for se!eral months, particularly if your relationship has greatly deteriorated. The specific treatment plan will depend on the situation. "n some cases, marriage counseling helps couples disco!er that their differences truly are irreconcilable and that it(s best to end the relationship. Making the decision to go to marriage counseling can be tough. But marriage counseling can help you better cope with a troubled relationship rather than trying to ignore it or hoping it gets better on its own.